Captain Falcon (キャプテン・ファルコン,Kyaputen Farukon?, full name Captain Douglas Jay Falcon), appears in Super Smash Bros. as one of the four unlockable characters. His appearance is based on his incarnation from F-Zero X for the Nintendo 64.

Captain Falcon is currently ranked 4th overall in the tier list (highest ranked of the unlockable characters) for his insane speed and combo ability. His notorious Falcon Punch is one of the most powerful moves in the game, and is deadly in the hands of a master. However, he is heavy and a fast faller, making him an easy target for combos, and he lacks a quick KO move, as well as a projectile.

Contents

How to Unlock Captain Falcon

Attributes

Captain Falcon's ending picture in Super Smash Bros.

Captain Falcon's most notorious attributes are his incredible speed (the fastest dash and falling speed) and combo ability. He also has the best dash-dance in the game. He has great reach with most kick attacks (especially Side Smash and Up Aerial), but he lacks projectiles, as well as ways to avoid them.

Captain Falcon has a great air game, due to his aerial attacks having low lag and having a Down Aerial spike, but few effective ground options (excluding jabs, throws, and his Up Smash). He has some high knockback attacks (e.g. the famous Falcon Punch), but these moves are slow. Captain Falcon is heavy, which makes him harder to KO. However, his heavy weight (combined with the fastest falling speed and large size) makes him easy to combo. He also has a good short hop, and his taunt cancel is great for mindgames.

Captain Falcon's major weakness is his poor recovery. Having the fastest falling speed makes him vulnerable to spikes. Additionally, Falcon Dive is a predictable recovery move that does not travel much horizontal distance. On the upside, if he grabs his opponent he can use the move again.

Falcon is known on a competitive level as being one of the top characters on Dreamland, and the only character outside of Fox on Hyrule to have a virtually even matchup with Pikachu. However, Falcon struggles with Fox on Hyrule, and Kirby on any stage.

In Doubles

Falcon is considered to be one of the best characters in doubles, due to an incredibly easy use of combos. Due to his speed, Falcon is also one of the best characters at helping teammates, while his grabs can lead into partner combos as well. This can be combined with the fact that Fox and Jigglypuff are worse in teams (one of his main weaknesses in Singles), making Falcon usually considered 3rd best in teams after Pikachu and Kirby respectively. Falcon's main issue is his recovery, so he is usually competitively paired with someone who can keep up with him and help him with combos, such as Mario and Pikachu.

Moveset

Ground Attacks

Normal

Neutral Attack - Does a quick jab, followed by another fast punch, then a knee hit before a series of rapid punches. This move is fast, though a little awkward for combos. 2-3% first hit, 3-4% second hit, 2-4% third hit and 1% for each other hit.

Forward Tilt - Kicks to his side. Like most Forward Tilts, this one can be angled. A good defensive and/or punishing move. 13% damage.

Down Tilt - Does a quick kick while crouching. This attack sends the opponent at a low trajectory, and can be used against foes hanging on a ledge. 11% damage.

Up Tilt - Puts his leg high and drops it like an axe. This attack is unique because it can hit from behind, and at the start of the move, above Captain Falcon. The move in general is somewhat long, though. It is often thrown with his wall combos for its range and damage. Two hits of 4-9% and 6-14% for a total of 23% damage.

Forward Smash - Does a flaming forward kick. Minor start-up and ending lag for this good finishing attack, though still not considered a fast KO move. 19% damage.

Down Smash - A "sweep kick". If the attack connects closer to the body, the opponent will be sent upwards. If it connects with the tip, the opponent will be sent in a more horizontal direction. Somewhat short duration, for a move of this criteria, but an awkward move for one of C. Falcon's. 16% damage.

Up Smash - An upwards elbow. This is Captain Falcon's main combo starter, as the attack sends the opponent straight up, but with low knockback and high hitstun. It is also trifled with unusually short range for an Up Smash. Unusual for an attack of this type, it can hit opponents lying on the ground. It is the weakest Up Smash in the game, but one of Falcon's most useful moves for its combo potential. The hitbox is Falcon's body and the small area above his raised elbow. 17% damage.

Other attacks

Ledge Attack - Gets up and kicks in a similar fashion to his down tilt. 6% damage.

Floor Attack - Similar to Samus's floor attack, kicks on both sides at the same time and gets up. 6% damage.

Aerial attacks

Neutral Aerial - A Sex Kick. Like most sex kicks, this attack loses power with time. Very powerful when it first comes out and a good defensive move. 16% at beginning, weaker afterwards.

Forward Aerial - Does two kicks in front of him. This attack would become Captain Falcon's Neutral Aerial in Melee, though without the horizontal movement, and is better at chasing foes and KOing. 4-22% if the two hits connect.

Up aerial - Flips in the air. Many consider this attack to be Captain Falcon's most versatile attack. Depending on what part of the hitbox connects with the opponent, it can send the opponent up, forward, or backwards, or in certain cases keep the opponent, for all practical purposes, in place (the spot where the most knockback occurs is at Captain Falcon's heel when a person is hit from Captain Falcon's back). A common use for this attack is to simply just chain Up Aerials together into one huge combo. 16% damage.

Down Aerial - Stomps below him, though has a hitbox above his feet. This attack is a spike. The hitbox exists on the legs and chest, and if the opponent connects with the chest, they will be sent down at a slight angle. If the opponent is already on the ground, it will, depending on the percent, keep the opponent in place or send them up at a very slight angle, leading into another aerial or a quick Up Smash, depending on the % and foe's reaction. 14% damage.

Grabs & Throws

Forward Throw - Falcon slams the opponent down in front of him. Having very low knockback for a grab, this can be used to start aerial chains. This throw would become his Down Throw in later Super Smash Bros. installments. 11% damage.

Back Throw - He kicks the opponent back. This throw has much more knockback than his Forward Throw. 16% damage.

Taunt

Turns to his right, keeping his left hand curled into a fist which he puts on his hip, he touches his forehead with his right fist then straightens his hand out to do a salute while saying "Show me your moves!".

Matchups

Super Smash Bros. (N64) Character Matchups

Combos, Tactics, and Tricks

Basic and more advanced combos

Basic C. Falcon combos are known for being to combine multiple Up Aerials into Falcon Dive or Down Aerial for kills. Usually the first move used into the combo is an Up Smash, Forward Throw, or a short hopped Forward Aerial. What progresses Falcon mostly is their spacing and use of Tilts, as Falcon's combos are overall some of the easiest to do in the game, but Falcon is overall considered to be the easiest to combo outside of DK, due to his weight and low floatiness. Spacing aerials is key.

Falcon Punch Combos

More advanced combos involve using the Falcon Punch as finishers, such as Up Aerial into Falcon Punch, a tech chase Down Aerial into Falcon Punch, or a Forward Throw into Falcon Punch. Combos into Falcon Punch are usually within the 50-70% range vs Fast Fallers or heavy weights using Forward Throw, around 60-90% after using Up Aerial (some using a jump and some grounded), and around 110-120% using Down Aerial.

Spike Combo

Sometimes known as the "Ken Combo of Super Smash Bros.", this combo consists of an Up Aerial followed by a jump and then a Down aerial spike. The Up Aerial must connect at the right spot, so that there is minimal knockback. Ken has said that the Marth Ken Combo in Melee was inspired by this Ken Combo.

Falcon Punch Recovery

Using a Falcon Punch while in the air gives Captain Falcon slight horizontal movement. Also, the attack can be "angled" by hitting up or down right after hitting B, which can be used to boost his vertical recovery slightly as well.

Dash Pivot

A really easy and effective mindgame technique. It's basically a frontwards roll, without the roll. One does an initial dash and quickly taps the stick the opposite direction. If one holds it the opposite direction, or even presses it, then Captain Falcon will dash-dance instead. What makes this move very effective is that Falcon has a long initial dash, and so one can use this to tech chase one's opponent depending on his position. One can also use the dash pivot to change one's position in battle, necessary for spacing.

Down Aerial-Down Aerial Spike

When performed on a grounded foe, Down Aerial will send them upwards on a small angle. One can use this when Captain Falcon is close to an edge to perform a second Down Aerial which will (after about 50% with most chars) send them to the bottom of the stage. In order to do this, one will need to short hop both attacks and Z-Cancel the first one as well. The first can also combine into a Falcon Punch.

Description

A regular pilot in the great galactic race F-ZERO Grand Prix, Captain Falcon is skilled at collecting prize money. Much about his past remains hidden in shadow, but it's clear that many a villain hold a powerful grudge against him.

Costume Gallery

Trivia

Captain Falcon is the only playable character that doesn't use his own head for his stock life icon. Instead, he uses the Falcon.

Captain Falcon and Ness are the only characters to not have a stage originating from their franchise.

Captain Falcon has the most usable costumes in the game, with six. Most characters have four or five. Yoshi has six as well, but only four are usable outside of hacking (The dark blue and pink swaps only appear in the single player mode.)

Captain Falcon has a gun, but he never uses it as an attack.

Captain Falcon's "Congratulations!" screen is the only one to use a pre-existing image from an original game, in this case, the first unlockable title screen from F-Zero X.

Super Smash Bros. is the only game where his Up Tilt has two hitboxes.

This move is considered the strongest Tilt in the entire game, having a maximum 23%.